Posted on 05/09/2012 8:35:52 PM PDT by Steelfish
Bizarre Baby Tossing Ritual In India In a bizarre ritual, Hindu priests in the south Indian state of Karnataka toss babies from the rooftop of a temple onto a cloth held by waiting men, believing that this will make them grow stronger.
09 May 2012
Thanks to their parents and a deep-rooted belief, babies in the Bagalkot district of south India's Karnataka state unwittingly found themselves being tossed off the roof of a temple onto a sheet held by men waiting below, in a ritual that is believed to make them stronger.
On Monday, large crowds of devotees gathered at the Marutheshwara temple near Mudhol town in Bagalkot district to observe the ritual, locally known as 'Okali'.
Eager parents presented their babies, who were between the ages of three months and two years, to priests at the temple who tossed them from the temple roof onto a cloth borne by a group of men standing below.
Though the ritual often evokes criticism, it is defended by devotees and priests, who feel that their belief necessitates a ritual that places babies at such huge risk.
A trustee of the Marutheshwara temple, Basavaraj, said that the ritual was an age-old one and it was important that it be respected.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Wow. Just wow.
You are probably right. In my case... it was more like toddler tossing... otherwise I wouldn't be able to remember it. My brother and cousins and I begged them to do it because we loved the feeling of flying. I personally didn't toss any of our kids or grandkids... I figured that if I hurt one of them that in todays society I would probably be arrested.
When we got a little older we also liked pretending we were paratroopers and jumping off of my grandmothers roof. My brother and I are both pilots at this later stage in our lives. He is a Captain for Southwest.
Maybe that’s why the Ruskies drink so much vodka!
‘_____loved the feeling of flying.’
Yes, when a bit older most kids probably like the feeling of flying. (I just left off the ‘f’ in flying - too funny)
I used to have those flying dreams,come to think of it - very neat!
Thank you for not tossing yours.
Roof jumping - arrrggghhh! I think I know why I was given no sons!
But that you and your brother are pilots is commendable. We are a Grumman (F-14, etc.) family since the 1950’s - now Northrup Grumman.
Love Southwest - have their VISA card!
Does he fly out of LA or Burbank???!
To CO or Long Island (MacArthur)?!
He is actually based in LA although he lives in Washington. I am not sure what his regular routes are, although I know he makes it all over the country... they have a computerized system for scheduling their flights. I am not sure how it works. I believe he bids on the flights that he wants. I think that they are also allowed to trade to get the schedules they want... within certain guidelines of course. He is usually gone for a few days at a time.
My parents were not too concerned about us jumping off of roofs, but when we got a little older we built various winged projects to tow behind the tractor or boat or jump off of hills. I eventually purchased several hang gliders and an ultralight airplane before getting into general aviation.
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